Youth Enigma From South Africa to America and the thrill of learning growing up, school was my constant companion. In my eyes, I was never the most intelligent person in the room, but I enjoyed forming friendships with those who were. I did not grasp things as quickly; however, I loved the moment everything clicked! Many of the things we have today were because of someone else's dream and vision, making it evident there is no limit to learning and innovation. This excites me! Some would say you have no choice; from the moment you start walking and eating on your own, you go to school, and for the next 12 years, that's your life; it's an obligation. Even so, learning and using my hands drives me forward. I am an extrovert; I can work independently, but I find complete joy and fulfillment when I work with others to achieve a common goal. Suppose I could do anything with my life. In that case, I imagine myself doing two things: Firstly, working with nations to bridge the gap caused by national and cultural differences and implementing effective ways to dissolve the awkwardness and discomfort that often arise when meeting someone from a different background. Along with this, finding and building common ground to nullify invisible barriers of misunderstanding and exclusion by establishing a basis to instill confidence in being understood. Secondly, drawn to solving real-world problems through machinery, I imagine myself working in aircraft design and maintenance while concurrently exploring the integration of Cybersecurity within engineering practices. I imagine myself with years of experience in a hard hat, leading a team, overseeing and troubleshooting issues that arise on the aircraft maintenance line, and working closely with other engineers. Working with my hands brings me immense joy. I aim to continue learning and be part of something incredible, essentially be an innovator. Moreover, I am constantly presented with challenges and use the knowledge and skills I gain to solve them through machinery. STEM offers pathways to life-long learning; it is the ongoing engagement and pursuit of knowledge that excites me. Learning isn't an obligation; it is a fervor! In January 2023, I worked at Taco Bell and enrolled in a Cybersecurity boot camp offered by a university near me. I learned about safeguarding digital systems and gained new skills. My new goal was to build, design, and protect their systems. Picture this: A world where aircraft are soaring through the sky and navigating the digital landscape completely unscathed. During an interview with Shaw Ryan, Ryan M. Montgomery, an ethical hacker, demonstrated how a small discreet device can pinpoint an airplane's position through the frequency of an antenna. It intrigued me and spurred a motivation to do something about it, and I think that through STEM, I can play a role in safeguarding and connecting the community. STEM fields are foundational to a wide range of disciplines and can be seen even in the most mundane activities. For instance, my younger brother walked in, narrating how he had spent the whole day trying to turn the pieces into a square and asking for help. It was a tangram with 7 pieces: two large triangles, two small triangles, a square, a medium-sized triangle, and a parallelogram. We laid the pieces onto the table and then started arranging the different shapes. Flipping, rotating, and visualizing, we would end up with different designs. Talking over every arrangement, we aimed to create a square with all the pieces. Certain pieces seemed to be visually correct; however, a parallelogram was challenging to visualize. Shortly after, visually using the outline, the tangram was complete. Thrilled and relieved, I pondered how a square produced many geometrically correct shapes that seamlessly fit together. Similarly, Engineers rely on spatial awareness and need to visualize how different components fit together within a physical environment or design to achieve a desired functionality. Adding to the excitement of encountering problems that need solutions. In 2022, after completing high school, my family and I relocated to the United States. I was unable to go to college, so, taking my mother's advice, I began working at Taco Bell, a local restaurant. While working, I initiated the process of going to college by taking the SAT, college searching, sending my transcripts for evaluation, and learning all I could about America. Going to college seemed like an impossible feat during these two years; in fact, self-doubt lingered, guided by fearful thoughts, using the Bible verses, an insect--the ant--and the desire to be the first in my family to graduate kept me going. This led me to start small and enroll in a cybersecurity bootcamp offered by a local university. In turn, I learned that success comes through taking responsibility and persevering, which is an essential part of success. What drives me forward as I start this journey is that I will be the first in my family to graduate and have a narrative where advancing technology and the assurance of safety coexist and play a part in maintaining public trust in aviation. Moreover, having begun a pathway of knowledge in cybersecurity and being more responsible with my finances, and through my present pursuit through STEM, to be constantly presented with challenges and use the knowledge and skills I gain to solve them through machinery and have the ability to understand mundane things with the eyes of an innovator.

Youth Enigma: From South Africa to America and the Thrill of Learning Growing up, school was my constant companion. In my eyes, I was never the smartest person in the room, but I enjoyed forming friendships with those who were. I didn't grasp things quickly, but I loved the moment when everything clicked! Many of the things we have today were someone's dream and vision, making it evident there is no limit to learning and innovation. This excites me. Some would say you have no choice; from the moment you start walking and eating on your own, you go to school, and for the next 12 years, that's your life; it's an obligation. Even so, Learning was my passion. In 2022, after completing high school, my family and I relocated to the United States. I was unable to go to college, so, taking my mother's advice, I began working at Taco Bell, a local restaurant. Whilst working, I initiated the process of going to college by taking the SAT, college searching, sending my transcripts for evaluation, and learning all I could about America. During these two years, going to college seemed like an impossible feat. I didn't give up. I aimed to pursue a career in mechanical Engineering, especially in aerospace, while concurrently exploring the integration of cybersecurity with engineering practices. In January 2023, I decided to start small and enrolled in a cybersecurity bootcamp. Gaining new skills in safeguarding digital systems, my goals expanded to build, design, and protect aircraft systems. In an interview, Ryan M. Montgomery, an ethical hacker, demonstrated how a small device could pinpoint an aircraft's position through frequency and transfer information; moreover, used for more sinister things. It intrigued me and spurred my motivation. Imagine a world where aircrafts are soaring through the sky, navigating the digital landscape unscathed. These fields involve adapting to innovative technologies and threats, aligning with my desire to continue learning. These two years also taught me that success comes through taking responsibility and perseverance. Working with my hands brings me immense joy. I want to continue learning and be part of something incredible, essentially be an innovator. Moreover, to be constantly presented with challenges and use the knowledge and skills I gain to solve them through machinery. With this intention, I am pursuing a career in mechanical engineering in the year 2024. Learning isn't an obligation; it is a fervor.